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obituaries
Kathleen A. Provoncha SARATOGA SPRINGS — Kathleen A. Provoncha, 65, went home to the Lord on Sunday, December 1, after a long struggle with cancer. Kathleen was born in Mineville on May 6, 1948 to the late Patrick J. and Marie Little Coyle. She graduated from Vergennes Union High School in Vermont and retired from NYS Civil Service in Albany. She was a parishioner of St. Clement’s Church in Saratoga Springs and served on the board of the Christian Women’s Club. Kathleen was active in various women’s retreats and bible studies. She also was a Weight Watchers lecturer.
In addition to her parents, Kathleen was predeceased by her beloved husband, John Jay Provoncha; her brothers Harold, James and Theodore Coyle; and her sisters Patricia Coyle, Judy Hart and Annette Baronoski. Survivors include her daughter, Melissa Gatzendorfer; siblings Adele, Mary, Joseph and John Coyle, Therese Flanders and Caroline Bitler, all of Vermont; Jeanne Bean of Texas; Louise St. Jacques of New York; Dr. Gael Coyle of Georgia; Delores Coyle-Quirk of New Hampshire, Susan Kjaer of Massachusetts; several in-laws, nieces, nephews and dear friends.
Stella Aspromatis SARATOGA SPRINGS — Stella Aspromatis, 93, died peacefully at her home on Larkspur Drive in Saratoga Springs on Saturday, November 30. Born on December 13, 1919, she was the daughter of the late Anastasia and Peter Theodorou.
Stella was a hairdresser at various salons throughout the years. She loved to make people look and feel their best. She is survived by her sons, Arthur, Steven and James Aspromatis, as well as her daughter, Christine and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Week of December 6 – December 12, 2013
Bishop Arnold Joseph Byrd
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Bishop Arnold Joseph Byrd, 69, of Wilton went peacefully into the loving arms of his savior Jesus Christ on Sunday December 2 at Saratoga Hospital with his devoted family by his side. Born on March 13, 1944 in Brooklyn to Edward and Gertrude Robinson Byrd, he was a graduate of Wallace High School in Charleston, South Carolina, where he lived out his school motto “Enter to Learn, Learn to Serve.”
Joan I. Caron
Jerelle O. Long
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Jerelle O. Long, 39, of Watervliet and formerly a life-long resident of Saratoga Springs, died after a four year courageous battle with Lymphoma at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Born on May 17, 1974, he was the son of Jean Long Simpkins of Saratoga Springs. Mr. Long was a 1994 graduate of Saratoga Springs High School. After high school he worked for various employers in the Saratoga Springs area. Most recently he worked in the maintenance department for Tri City Rental out of Albany.
Jerelle was a member of the Soul Saving Station for Every Nation in Saratoga Springs. He loved to travel with his family to Disney World and enjoyed listening to music, especially Hip Hop and R&B. His greatest enjoyment came from spending time with his children. He volunteered as a coach for his sons’ little league teams and also their pop-warner football team. He was an avid Boston Red Sox and Dallas Cowboys fan. He is predeceased by his grandmother Alberta Long whom he was especially close too. He is survived by his wife Kelly Sherwood Long of Watervliet; three sons, Kaden and Kalel Long of Watervliet and Jared Long of Schenectady; his mother Jean Simpkins of Saratoga Springs; a brother Jason Long of Watervliet; two sisters, Jocelyn Simpkins of Schenectady and Jeneta Simpkins of Cohoes; as well as several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and lifelong friends from Jefferson Terrace.
In his early twenties he gave his life to Christ and became a Born Again Christian. He felt God calling him to go into the ministry and joined the Soul Saving Station for Every Nation Christ Crusaders of America Church headquarters in New York City. He was a member of the church since 1969, achieving the position title of presiding Bishop and General Overseer of over 25 churches domestically and 20-plus churches, orphanages in Haite, Wisconsin, until his passing. Bishop Byrd and his wife, Pastor Shelia, together served the local church Soul Saving Station at Saratoga Springs for over 30 years. Bishop Byrd retired recently from the New York State Government after 31 years of service. He is predeceased by his mother, father and two brothers. Survivors include his wife Shelia of Wilton, eight children, Wanda Byrd, Audrey Byrd, Arnold Byrd and his wife Neysha, Genevieve Robinson and her husband Deshawn, Justin, Michael, David and Shawn Byrd, five brothers, Francis and Matthew Byrd of Massapequa, John Byrd of Delhi, Charles of Queens and Joethel Byrd Williams of Rochester. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren, two great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins, as well as his extended church family. A Home Going Service will be on Friday, December 6 at The Soul Saving Station for Every Nation, 62 Henry St. Saratoga Springs at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Greenridge Cemetery.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Joan I. Caron, 73, died November 1 at home with her family after a courageous battle with leukemia. Born on March 29, 1940 in London, England, she was the daughter of the late Albert and Irene Waters
of London. She enjoyed spending time with family, taking great pride in her seven grandchildren, ages 5 to 17. She loved walking, exercising, traveling, meeting people, gardening and food of all kinds. She also loved music and attended many performances at SPAC. An especially fond memory occurred in 2009 when she was pulled up on stage to dance with Bruce Springsteen as he performed “Dancing in the Dark.” Joan was predeceased by her husband of 49 years, Donald A. Caron; and is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Darryl and Mona of Clifton Park, Jeffrey and Media of Saratoga Springs, and Donald Jr. and Christina of Reston, Virginia.; and her grandchildren, Justin and Meghana of Clifton Park, Abigail and Samuel of Saratoga Springs, and Emily, Kristen, Grace and their mother, Ann, of Reston, Virgina. She is also survived by a sister, Marilyn (Richard) Banks of Pinehurst, North Carolina; brother, Leslie Waters of London; two sisters-inlaw, Theresa Boldman of Mannsville, and Linda (Don) Belofski of Concord, North Carolina; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother-in-law Harold (Rose) Caron.
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